Hwacheon Bimok Park (화천 비목공원)

0m 19686 2021-08-18

3481-70, Pyeonghwa-ro, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-440-2225

Peace Dam was built over a period of 15 months from February 1987 to May 1988 with funds donated by the general public in response to North Korea’s construction of Geumgangsan Dam and a potential flooding attack. The flood control dam has proved its worth during the floods of 1995, 1996, and 1999 and it has become a major tourist destination over the years. Located in the vicinity of Peace Dam is Bimok Park, which is the origin of the famous national song “Bimok.”

In addition to the war monuments inside the park, there are around a dozen wooden crosses with rusty iron helmets placed on top within the barbed wire entanglements around the hill, thereby reminding visitors of the national tragedy of the Korean War. The county of Hwancheon hosts the Bimok Cultural Festival from June 3 to June 6 every year at Bimok Park, Bungeoseom Island by the town’s riverside, and the surrounding areas. The four-day festival offers a variety of events such as a singing contest, memorial ceremony of poetry reading, bimok tree cutting contest, rice ball eating contest, army life experience, military music parade, and more.

Crossing over to Yanggu County from Peace Dam, there is a national security education place comprised of attractions like the 4th Underground Tunnel and Eulji Observatory. Paroho Lake Battlefield Tourist Park is also worth a visit after looking around Peace Dam. Also known as the “ocean within mountains,” Paroho is a manmade lake created as a result of the Hwacheon Dam construction in 1944. The lake is home to over 70 different species of freshwater fish such as mandarin fish and carp. It also holds the sorrowful history of the water burial of three whole divisions of the Chinese Forces in defending the lake during the Korean War. The name Paroho, meaning “enemy breaking lake,” was given after the late president of Korea, Rhee Syngman, visited the place and designated a plaque in his own handwriting in memory of obtaining victory in fierce battle. There is an observatory, a security hall, and a stone monument engraved with the poetry of Wolha Rhee Taegeuk (1913-2003).

Peace Dam - Hwacheon (평화의댐 (화천))

77.29793926970832m 9848 2022-12-26

3481-18 , Pyeonghwa-ro, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-480-1512

Peace Dam in Hwacheon-gun was built in response to a potential flooding attack from North Korea. The first phase of construction began in 1986, and ended in 1989; the second phase, which entailed raising the x_height of the dam, began in 2002, and ended in 2005.

Over the years, the dam has become a major tourist destination. It has several cultural and recreational facilities including the Water Culture Center, an artificial wall stream, and rest areas. It is also located close to the DMZ, and natural landmarks such as Bimok Park, Bisugumi Valley, and Suhari Fishing Site.

Yanggu Porcelain Museum (양구백자박물관)

9.5 Km 19976 2022-08-09

5182, Pyeonghwa-ro, Yanggu-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-480-7237

Yanggu Porcelain Museum (formerly Bangsan Porcelain Museum) exhibits white porcelain from the Bangsan area, along with its collection and tools. There are also various visual aids that help understand the history of porcelain in the Bangsan area. The experience room is equipped with electric kilns, gas kilns, and firewood kilns, and is a facility for both outdoor and indoor experiences. Here, visitors can experience the entire process of making clay, molding, and baking it in a kiln. Bangsan-myeon, Yanggu was already well-known for pottery production since the Goryeo dynasty. During the Joseon dynasty, raw materials were supplied to the Gwangju branch in Gyeonggi-do, and here the technology and aesthetics spread to Gwangju.

Ttansan Mountain (딴산)

12.4 Km 36326 2021-06-22

Hwacheon-eup, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-440-2547

Located just four kilometers away from Hwacheon-eup, Ttansan Mountain is nestled between Paroho Lake and the entrance to Peace Dam, making it appear more like an island floating on the water rather than a mountain.
This small island-like mountain offers an interesting and unique setting and the nearby mountains provide a cooling effect with its shadows on the water creating a relaxing resting area.

Dutayeon Valley [National Geopark] (두타연 (강원평화지역 국가지질공원))

12.8 Km 14149 2021-07-17

Gobangsan-ri, Yanggu-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-480-2251

Dutayeon Valley is located north of the Civilian Control Line, requiring advance reservation through the Yanggu-gun Office website as well as filling out admission information at the Dutayeon Gallery before entering the area with a guide. The valley has a waterfall located along Sataecheon Stream where it merges with Suipcheon Stream. The water falls into a plunge pool, which has also carved out a deep cave in the bedrock at the base of the waterfall.

Paroho Lake (Hwacheon) (파로호(화천))

13.9 Km 11476 2022-12-26

36-8, Baeteo-gil, Gandong-myeon, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-440-2575

Paroho Lake is a manmade lake created when Hwacheon Dam was built in the valley of the Bukhangang River. The lake was once referred to as Daebungho Lake for its resembling image of an imaginary phoenix rising with its wings spread wide open when seen from afar. The area was a territory of North Korea after Korea's independence, but became a South Korean territory after the Korean War.

Paroho Lake (Yanggu) (파로호(양구))

15.6 Km 20844 2021-11-30

545, Ha-ri, Yanggu-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-480-2531

Paroho Lake is a manmade lake that was completed in 1943. The lake was created due to the construction of a hydraulic power plant in Hwacheon during Japanese colonial period. The name was given after President Syngman Rhee designated a plaque in his own handwriting naming the body of water ‘Paroho Lake’ during the Korean War after a victorious feat in a battle against the Chinese army. The power plant has a generation capacity of 105,000 kilowatts, and the lake is one of the top fishing grounds in Korea as it is abundant in freshwater fish.

The area boasts several splendid views and a former president built his country home on the lake. Relics from the Stone Age and New Stone Age were found to be well preserved in the area. Twenty-one dolmens were found on the lake grounds, as well as 4,000 pieces of Prehistoric relics used during Paleolithic age, drawing interest from the academic field. Recently, habitats of mandarin ducks, a national natural monument, were found near the Paroho lakeside.

Mallihyang (만리향)

16.2 Km 55 2021-03-26

7706-1, Yeongseo-ro, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-442-6022

This is a place where you can eat delicious Chinese dishes at reasonable prices. This Chinese (cuisine) restaurant is located in Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do. The representative menu is sweet and sour pork.

Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival (얼음나라 화천 산천어축제)

16.3 Km 152546 2023-12-28

137 Sancheoneo-gil, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-1688-3005

Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival takes place in Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon with plenty of snow and ice, perfect for a winter getaway. It was even introduced by CNN as one of the "Seven Winter Wonders" in 2011. The main event of the festival, ice fishing, takes place on the frozen Hwacheoncheon Stream. The festival has been visited by more than a million people, attesting to the festival's charm. In addition to the various festival programs such as ice fishing, ice sledding, and bobsled, visitors can get a taste of the freshly caught trout grilled on the spot.

Yanggu Prehistory Museum (양구선사박물관)

16.3 Km 26046 2022-08-18

439-52, Geumgangsan-ro, Yanggu-gun, Gangwon-do
+82-33-480-7220

Yanggu Prehistory Museum displays artifacts from the Paleolithic Age found in Sangmuryong-ri, Yanggu-eup and the Neolith Age discovered in Hyeon-ri, Haean-myeon. It is the first prehistory museum in the nation and aims to teach visitors about Korean prehistoric culture in a manner easy to understand.

Hwacheon Bimok Park (화천 비목공원) - Area information - Korea travel information